Now Cambridge college hides bell ‘with links to slave trade’
A CAMBRIDGE college has hidden a historic bell from view as part of the university’s controversial inquiry into its links to the slave trade.
St Catharine’s College said the bell had been ‘shuttered off’ because there is a ‘significant possibility’ it was used on a slave plantation.
Dons said it would remain so while its ‘provenance’ was investigated by academics. Last week Cambridge announced a twoyear inquiry which will look at how it benefited financially from the slave trade.
The move was criticised by former equalities chief Trevor Phillips, who called it ‘virtuesignalling on steroids’ from white liberals trying to ease their consciences. The latest action over the suspected slave plantation bell was revealed in an email from the college to students on Monday.
The bell is thought to have been presented to the college in 1960 and placed in one of its accommodation blocks in 1994. Although its history is not known for sure Professor Sir Mark Welland, master of the college, and Dr Miranda Griffin, the senior tutor, wrote in the email to students that there is a ‘significant possibility’ that it was used on a slave plantation.
They said in their message: ‘While we make more detailed enquiries into the bell’s provenance, the decision has been taken to shutter the bell off to remove it from view.
‘Consultation is taking place across the college community about the appropriate and proportionate course of action in relation to the bell.’ A decision is expected to be reached we will continue to conduct rigorous research into all aspects of our past and to reflect on our commitment to diversity, inclusion and asking challenging questions.’
It is not the first time objects with colonial links have been removed from view at Cambridge.
Two years ago a bronze cockerel was removed from Jesus College following a student outcry because it had been looted from Africa in the 19th century. The university agreed to hold discussions on the future of the Benin bronze, including possible repatriation to Nigeria.
Students have been campaigning to make Cambridge more welcoming to ethnic minority students
It includes attempts to ‘decolonise’ the curriculum in arts subjects – for example, including more ethnic minority writers in English courses.
Commenting on the inquiry, Mr Phillips told the Mail: ‘I have a feeling this is just another response to superwoke [ politically correct] whining by students who are having a great time guilt-tripping the university before going off to work for Goldman Sachs. This is virtue-signalling on steroids.’
He added that the university should focus on ‘changing the future rather than rewriting the past – for example, by promoting more black academics’.
Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘It would have been far better to have displayed a sign exposing the bell’s story if it turns out to have one. Madness and lunacy have taken over.’
‘Virtue-signalling on steroids’